Dr. A. L. Herrera, Director

Secretaria de Argicultura y Fometo,

Casa del Lago, Chapultepec, Mexico, D.F., Mexico



My dear Doctor Herrera:



Your ver clear and explicit letter of the 18th of September has just been received by me, having been brought to my bedside by my secretary, and I thank you for it.  I do not wish you to imagine for one moment that because I am in bed that I am hors du combat.   The trouble is I have taken a bad cold and my physician ( I suppose wisely) has ordered me to stay in bed until I get over it,  or he finds out what is the matter with me.  It is only a passing indisposition and amounts to nothing in my humble judgement.



Meanwhile I have the great satisfaction of informing you that the authorities of the Pennyslvania Railroad, of the Lousiville and Nashville, of the Southern Pacific, of the Texas Mexican road have all granted the priviledge of free transportation over their lines in order indicated from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, from Cincinnati to New Orleans, from New Orleans to Alice, from Alice to Laredo.  Inasmuch as you have made arrangements for transportation on your side of the line I believe that we are now in a position to go ahead.  Of course the boxes are packed, and have been for a long time.   It remains only to address them, assemble them, load them, and ship them to you.  The President of the Pennsylvania Railroad has himself kindly given orders to have the work of the arranging for shipment from this end of the line taken up by the General Freight Agent of the road, Mr. Grey, and Mr. Grey has communicated with me saying that he is quite enthusiastic and feels it an honor and a pleasure to render this